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The room zoomed in dangerously and everything blurred from Lillian's standing spot at the entrance to her room.Her room, her matrimonial room. Laid atop her matrimonial bed was her husband vigorously and pleasurably thrusting deeper and deeper into the honeycomb of her sister. Their moans, the only deafening sound that filtered through the hazy cloud in her mind.She refused to believe her vision. The two most important people in her life could never think to do this to her. The only people that cared about her would never do this. Her heart said differently. Her eyes saw reality. Reality she vehemently refused to believe. She moved closer to the bed. She wanted a closer look at them. She wanted to confirm their faces, even though she already knew. She wanted it to be a mistake.Just as she reached the foot of the bed, she saw her husband shake violently, emptying his release into the depths of her sister. Their sigh of deep satisfaction caused her eyes to water.As Bruce finished o
"Toss it over! Come on, hurry!" There was urgency in Rachel's voice."Don't you think we should check if she's still alive.""No one can survive such a beating. Didn't you see how they almost splattered her brain out? The guys did a good job. Her head and face is destroyed. Toss this trash into the river before someone sees us." Rachel urged. She darted her eyes back and forth the darkness of the overhead bridge on which they stood.Bruce grunted as he lifted the bag enclosing Lillian's body. "I don't know why you didn't pay them to dispose of the body too." He whined."You want it to be traced back to us? Is that what you want?... Just hurry up and let's get out of here!"Lillian heard the voices in a haze. Her body felt numb and alienated. The physical pain she felt was like nothing in the world. Her breathing was so slow, she thought she would die the next minute. She held her breath when she was lifted. The pain heightened with the contact. She felt herself rise. Her pain increas
Dr Tony was taking off the bandages wrapped around Lillian's face. He worked with dexterity as he pulled on the bandage. It's been five weeks of waiting since after the surgery."You will feel numb around your face when the bandages come off, but it shouldn't alarm you. It's normal and the feeling will wear off in a moment." Tony explained as he unwrapped the bandage. Sam Knox stood by the corner of the room, his heart racing and his eyes shone with fear. He was eager to see the result of the surgery and yet, uncertain how Lillian would react to her new face.Lillian had only been able to communicate by nodding whenever she was spoken to. The bandages had prevented her from speaking. So they had not been able to have a real conversation with her.Tony had said that the chances of Lillian remembering anything about her past was very slim. But Knox couldn't shake off the fear that she would remember her past life. It would be a disaster if that happened.Tony finally removed the last o
"Yes." Knox nodded at her. "Yes. You are Ashley Knox." He reiterated with tear filled eyes. "You are my Ashley.""You are my daughter." He announced with tearful glee. She watched him move near her. Uncertainty flooded her gaze. She looked up at Dr Tony whom she inexplicably had a measure of trust in. Tony sensed her insecurities and he understood them. He had seen it a thousand times, patients waking up to memories of their life snatched away from. Knowing nothing. Remembering nothing. The feeling was depressing. He nodded silently at her, consenting to the information she had just received.She turned her gaze away from Tony to regard Knox who had stopped in his tracks. Her countenance had not been welcoming causing him to pause."You are my father?" She inquired.Her innocence burst open the flood gates of Knox tears. He shook violently, collapsing on the bed on which she sat. She suddenly felt guilty. He was her father and she didn't know him. She imagined how that must hurt. S
"Don't worry, you'll meet him soon." DJ assured. He couldn't remind her that he hadn't spoken to or seen his brother in a very long time. He didn't have a good relationship with his family. He thought he would tell her, but later.Ashley peeled her eyes on him, watching him intently. She wanted to read his reaction to the question she was going to ask next."Was I good girlfriend to you?"DJ grinned. Contentment brightened his gaze. "You are the very absolute best girlfriend ever! In all my dating years, I've never met someone like you." There was pride in his voice. Pride and love. So much love."I'm the happiest to have you back." He stood up from the settee and moved to the bed. He knelt before her and took her hand in his. Staring into her eyes, he poured out his heart. "I love you Ashley."She stilled. His confession a huge surprise. "I don't know what to say."He smiled, his eyes never left hers. "It's fine. Take your time. Take all the time you need. I don't mind courting you a
Ashley laid on her bed in the dimly lit room, eyes wide open and fixated on the white ceiling. Sleep had traveled far from her.The events of the day replayed in her head. The new faces she had met and didn't know; her stepmom, her step brother and her fiance.How could she not remember her fiance? She must have loved him enough to want to be married to him, but now she didn't know him. He was a stranger to her. She recalled the hurt in his eyes. As much as he tried to mask it, she sensed it. How could she forget those eyes that looked at her with so much love?She scoffed. She didn't even remember her father. The man who had birthed and raised her. The man who seemed to love her more than anything else. Everything was a mumbo jumbo.Nothing made sense to her. She felt like a child seeing the world for the first time. She wished to return to the hospital. At least there, no one expected anything from her. No one seemed pained that she couldn't remember them.Even her cabin at the ho
“Who was that?” Rachel asked over her shoulders as she stood before the mirror, putting on her jewelry.The full length mirror reflected her image, doing its job just as it did while Lilian occupied the room.As they had discussed, she and Bruce had gotten married at the city hall. It was a quiet wedding with only family members present as they were trying to keep away from the press.The vile woman, Rachel, didn't hesitate to take over Lilian’s room. She had immediately erased all traces of Lilian. It was as though Lilian had never lived there as Rachel redecorated the entire space to her taste.From the corner of her eyes, Rachel could see Bruce's reflection as he approached her with a smile plastered over his face. He was dressed up neatly in a black suit and ready for the evening's event.He reached her in no time and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulders and she watched him from the mirror with curiosity, waiting for an exp
Ashley's eyes were big and graced with dark circles by the morning when she stepped out of her room. DJ was seated in the living room, idly waiting for her. He smiled once he set his eyes on her descending the stairs. “You’re awake.” “Did you just arrive?” She asked as she approached him. “No. I've been here awhile. I was told you were still sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up.” He replied with tenderness. She hadn't been asleep. She had stayed awake all through the night unable to sleep, pondering over what Paul had told her. It had been difficult for Ashley to convince Paul that she really couldn't remember a thing. He was convinced that she was only pretending. It made her wonder what kind of life she had lived before she got in the accident. She thought it was absurd that she had been sleeping with her step brother. But she didn't tell him that. She dared not. Not when he was already fuming over her rejection. She was more than grateful that he didn't try to force
Rachel wasn't herself the rest of the evening. She kept stealing petrifying glances at Ashley.Ashley had become a difficult puzzle; she couldn't place its missing piece. How did she know so much? Who was feeding her with so much information?Was Bruce stupid enough to tell her?She couldn't figure anything out. She just couldn't wrap her head around any of it. She was more than pleased when the time came for everyone to leave. She and Bruce bade them goodbye, shaking hands, passing hugs and farewell kisses to her parents and Bruce's parents, and avoiding Ashley and DJ.She managed a half hearted smile at DJ and didn't look at Ashley at all.Ashley smiled and moved to hug Rachel in front of everyone. Rachel froze on the spot. Her eyes widened and her heart stopped. She couldn't respond.“I'm so glad we had that talk.” Still smiling, Ashley rubbed the length of her arm. “It warms my heart to know that we are on good terms now.”Rachel blinked, she felt Ashley's hand run the length
Ashley matched the old woman's gaze, watching her intently until she disappeared into the living room. She was the least bit intimidated.She smiled at herself. Mrs Fox didn't know what was coming. She didn't know half of it yet. Ashley would let her be. For now.She turned around to face a glaring Rachel. Her eyes trailed the length of Rachel. She noticed the napkins on Rachel's hand. “I didn't think you were one to get your hands dirty.” Ashley commented. “Where are your maids?”Rachel had never been good with house chores and seeing her helping to clear the table was a rare sight.“What do you want? Rachel asked. She yanked a careless discarded napkin off the table and added it to the pile she had gathered in her hand. A task she had begun in a bid to simmer off before joining them in the living room.“I thought you could use the company. Your face looks like a rock. Smile.” Ashley smiled at her, showing Rachel how to.Rachel scoffed. “And you think your presence would make me smi
“This is a family dinner, why did you invite her?” Rachel bellowed at Bruce who stood in front of their mirror, attentively fixing his tie.“Because she's family. She's my brother's fiancee.” He responded without glancing at her.“You don't realize that she's your brother's fiancee on those nights when you stayed out late on dinner dates, frolicking with with ‘brother's fiancee!’” Hot fumes literally escaped Rachel's ears.“We are business partners. You know that.” Bruce walked around her as he spoke. He beelined for her vanity table where he had earlier laid his cufflinks.Fixing the tiny piece of accessory to his suit sleeves, he continued talking. “Stop being so petty. You keep ranting about a woman who is least concerned about you or what you have.” He finished fixing the cufflinks and walked back to the mirror, examining his finished look. Satisfied with his reflection, he turned to Rachel.“Go get yourself dressed up and come down. We are the hosts, we shouldn't be late to our o
“Paul.” His name was a breath of stale air as it rolled out of her lips.She could see the curve of his sinister smile even in the darkness.“Missed me?”Ashley's chest rose and fell in quick successions. Her eyes wide with terror, she watched him closely. Calculating and anticipating his next move. She hadn't forgotten the last time.Fixing her eyes on him, she allowed the corners of her eyes to scan around her, looking for an easy grab and suitable weapon.She flinched, shifting backward as he lifted a hand to her. Her breath paused. His hands approached, taking a lifetime to reach her. When it finally did, his index finger trailed the side of her face and tucked a mass of her disheveled hair behind her.“Go back to sleep. We'll talk better tomorrow.”Not another word and he was walking out the door. No fights. No argument. No attack. He left.Ashley exhaled, clutching her chest, fearing her racing heart would explode. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath.Go back t
“I’m not surprised Rachel could stoop so low.” Pamela remarked as they walked out of the bar.Ashley scoffed, shaking her head ruefully. “They have no morals.”They reached the car, Ashley clicked the doors open and they got in.“Ashley, don't you think you revealed too much to Rachel? She'll begin to suspect.” Pamela's voice was laden with concern.“That’s what I want. To raise doubt and suspicion in her mind… You don't have to worry. She can't hurt me.” Ashley assured her, knowing the reason for Pamela's concerns.She kicked the car to a start and drove to drop Pamela off at her apartment.“Thanks girl.” Pamela said in appreciation as she got down. “Want to come inside?”“No. Thanks. I'm going up east.”Pamela knitted her brows. “Is everything alright at home?”“Yeah. Dad's coming back tomorrow and I want to be there when he arrives.” Dad; the word came to her naturally. There was an inexplicable excitement at the thought of seeing Mr Knox again. The man that saved her and gave he
Stan's eyes met the menacing man standing beside Pam. His huge frame contrasted spookingly to Pam’s small frame.He parted his lips and swallowed the words he was about to utter. The warning look on Thomas’ face left him speechless. He recovered quickly, cleared his throat and grunted a goodbye to Pamela and Ashley as they left.Once both women were out of sight, Stan stood at attention, feet closed, chest out and hand lifted up to his head in salute. “Sir!”Joe watched horrified. Trembling, he mirrored Stan's posture in salute to his boss whom he had never seen. “Sir!” Joe’s salute came out shaky and fear filled.Thomas dismissed them and occupied the stool Ashley had earlier vacated. His scrutinizing gaze fixated on both men as he motioned to them to sit.“What was that all about?” Thomas asked, his tone authoritative and bossy. Nothing like the voice he spoke to Pamela in.“Are you two selling sensitive office information out?” He probed further. “What are you two trying to pull?”
“Darn it!” Ashley cussed under her breath as Pamela and Thomas reached them. She wasn't ready to deal with Thomas again. She didn't know the guy and she didn't trust him. Just her instincts. And it didn't help that her investigation on him came back with nothing. Nothing! Almost as though the dude didn't exist. She hissed and clenched her fist. An unrest that didn't go unnoticed by Pamela.Pamela met Ashley’s eyes with a glare. “See who I bumped into.” Pamela beamed. A warning directed at Ashley underlied her voice.Ashley took the cue and wore a sweet welcoming smile. She had to behave for her friend. Pamela liked him and until she had proof to convince Pamela otherwise, she'd have to tolerate him.“Hello, Thomas. It's nice to see you again.” Ashley greeted. Thomas smiled and nodded. “Hello Ashley. Nice to see you too.” He returned, all the while switching his gaze between Rachel and Ashley, curiosity embedded in his grey eyes.Ashley turned to Pamela who was standing beside her, a
The drink was served and placed before Rachel. An awkward silence stretched between them in the noisy bar. Rachel's mind mulled over Ashley's knowledge of such a tiny detail about her. She began to wonder how close Ashley was to her husband, Bruce. Not many people knew about her strong aversion to wine. Only her parents, Bruce and Lilian. But Lilian was dead and her parents have never met Ashley. That left only Bruce in the equation. She kept stealing glances at Ashley, the Martini in front of her barely touched. “Got to do a number one. I’ll be right back!” Pamela excused herself, scurrying off to the ladies, leaving Ashley and Rachel alone. “You know, this isn't a funeral, Rachel. I believe you came here to have a good time but you've barely touched that drink.” Ashley turned to her, lewd assumptions flitted through her eyes. “Or are you perhaps waiting for someone? A lover maybe?” Rachel scoffed. “I’m not a tràmp.” Her tone betrayed her insinuating accusation. “Unlike you, I'm
“It's done.” Pamela scurried behind Ashley as her wide eyes trail Ashley's back as she enters the office and beeline for her seat. “So quickly?... Did he see you?” Pamela asked. “No.” Ashley took her seat. “I didn't go as me. I used a proxy.” She said with a satisfied heave. “Wow! So now you own the company?” Pamela asked with incredulity. “Now I own, Bruce.” Ashley smiled. “But he doesn't know it yet.” Pamela gasped and let out a chuckle. “Oh my God! You finally got what you wanted.” Ashley's gaze fixes straight past Pamela. Her mind, brooding and brewing. “Not yet. I still have many scores to settle. One of which I haven't been giving a lot of attention to.” “What's that?” Ashley raised her eyes to meet Pamela's. “Rachel.” “That bitch!” Venom dripped from Pamela's voice. “She won't be one for long. I intend to strip her of that snarky attitude of hers.” Excitement flicked through Pamela's eyes. She had always, always hated Rachel and her ‘better than everyone else's atti